Wrapping HTML/JS/Babylon.js game/app for consoles?

This maybe a little off topic, but I gather it’s possible to create a simple native wrapper for consoles like Playstation, XBox and Nintendo etc, but I haven’t been able to find much specific about it. Anyone know of anything?

I’m aware of using Electron, Capacitor, NW.js for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS but they don’t seem to be able to handle gaming consoles unless I’m missing something.

That is a really nice topic, maybe @bghgary or @Cedric have any ideas ?

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Console are made so developers can use all their performance using native code.
Moreover, between security concerns, no virtual mem, garbage collection and console CPUs (console CPU are less performant than desktop ones), it doesn’t make sense to use JS.
Also, rendering APIs are specific and under NDA.

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Makes sense now that you put it that way.

I’d just read some random post on Reddit saying that all consoles have web browsers so thought there might be an avenue to package web games for consoles, but I guess not :slight_smile:

I’m pretty sure it’s (very) very limited. Not sure about support for webgl, let alone JIT that must be disabled and other limitation on memory available.
Security first!!! Some console could be rooted because of a security hole in a web browser. I don’t remember which one.

If I’m not mistaken, can’t you embed a webapp into a UWP application and deploy to Xbox? I’ve been reading up on this lately and I’m very curious about this. UWP apps work on Xbox

I’ve been reading up on this here:

Apparently there’s something called TVHelpers and/or TVJS. Not sure if that would work.

Here’s more info on building a UWP app, you can use Visual Studio:

I’m getting a Steam Deck soon and I’m gonna run some tests on that using Electron to deploy an app to Linux…

So If this is correct, you can deploy to Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Browsers, Steam Deck and even Xbox, although if it’s true you can deploy to Xbox One…don’t know how much native power you’re gonna get out of it. Not sure about the newer Xbox, but that’s a pretty wide audience if you ask me. In Asia, especially China, most people use their phones for gaming, even serious gaming.

Now, about the Playstation and the Switch…

Even if you were deployed a C++ made application to the Switch, you would still need to worry about their proprietary graphics APIs, PSGL or whatever it’s called these days and NVM that Nintendo uses. It’s not easy even for someone using something like Unity or Unreal.

The easiest path to cross platform I can see is Electron, Capacitor, NW.js like you said, because you don’t have to build the thing over and over.

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